Radiator valve for steam heating systems



Oct. 13, 1936. F. L. M boNoueH ET AL. 2,057,041

RADIATOR VALVE FOR STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 28, 1934 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES RADIATOR VALVE FOR STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS Francis L. McDonough and Harold Russell, Dorchester, Mass; said Russell assignor to said McDonough Application July .28, 1934, Serial No. 7.31.394

11 Claims. (Cl. 236-62) The present invention relates to radiator valves for steam heating systems.

Assteam heating systems are loaded with rust, rusty water, scale particles, and acid from the compounds used to clean the boiler, it is necessary to construct radiator valves entirely of noncorrosive material. Moreover, it is necessary to construct the radiator valves so that they are open normally to allow the free venting of air .from the system and so that they will close automatically to prevent the escape-of steam or water through the air vent. Heretofore many diiferent forms of radiator valves intended to accomplish these desiderata have been proposed, but experience has demonstrated that they are complicated in construction and therefore expensive to manufacture, diflicult to assemble, and. liable to .get out of order.

The principal object of the present invention is .to produce a radiator valve for steam heating systems which will be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble, and not liable to get out of order.

.Heretofore it has been proposed to secure the radiator valve :to the radiator by means of a nipple through which a curved siphon tube extends loosely into the radiator valve casing in order to siphon out of the casing any water which may collect therein, the tube being smaller than the interior of the nipple to provide a space therein exterior :of the tube for the passage of steam into the radiator valve casing. The free end of the siphon tube depends out of the threaded end of the nipple. This free end of the siphon :tube is burdensome in :its nature as it is subject to being bent, broken, or located improperly within the radiator. A tube'bent so as to prevent the passage of water thereth-rough is useless, and if the stricture intheqtube even partially restricts the passage of water, the passage soon becomes blocked from particles of loose rust, scale, and dirt. If the tube is broken off at the threaded end of the:nipple., the loose end remaining in the radiator valve achatters and produces noise. In assembling the radiator valve with the radiator the workman fiS :liable to position the free end of the siphon tube 'at a higher level than the end within the radiator valve casing, thus rendering the tube useless as a siphon.

Another-object of the present invention is to produce a radiator valve for steam heating systems which the siphon tube, long in use, expensive and burdensome in its nature, is oba iated.

To the accomplishment of t e e hjccts and such others as may appear hereinafter, the various features of the .present invention consist in certain devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts fully set forth hereinafter the advantages of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be understood readily from an inspection of the accompanying drawing illustrating the best form of the invention at present known to the inventors, in which Figure 1 is-a view in front elevation, the dome of the casing being broken out to show interior parts;

Fig.2 is a view :insectional elevation, the dome .15 and the base of the casing being cut to show the valve seat in sectional elevation and the interior unit and the nipple in left side elevation; V

Fig. 3 is .a detail view in sectional plan on the line .3-3 of Fig. 1;; and

Fig. 4 is a-detail view in rear sectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. .2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the working parts of the radiator valve iorsteam heating systemsare housed in a casing 'i-com'prising a dome G and 2. base 1. The base 1 is .a cylindrical cup having a solid bottom 8., .an open top .9, and an upstanding peripheral wall 10. The wall to is provided with an opening Zll .(Fig. .2) and surrounding the opening .l,l .and secured .to the exterior of the wall 10 .is a flange 12 .on one .end of a nipple l3 the other .end of which is threaded to facilitate its attachment .to a radiator (not shown) in the steam heating system.

At its apex the .dome .6 is provided with .a 3,5 threaded opening l4 into which is lthreaded'a plug l5 having a valve seat It formed therein. Above the valve seat I 6 the plug .is provided with a vertical passage H and a lateral .port 18 communicating therewith. The plug I5 is provided with a mushroom head 19 to facilitate the insertion of the plug into the opening 14 and to ,protect the exit of the port 18.

Intermediate its top and bottom the dome i6 is provided interiorly with a support .20 comprising 5 a fiat disk 2| having a depending peripheral skirt 22 pressed tightly into contact with the internal cylindrical wall of the dome 5,. Mounted to slide freely through an opening .23 formed in the disk 21 is a vertical spindle 24 having a ,frusto-conical ,5 needle valve 25 formed .on its upper end and having an inverted .bell-fioat 25 secured to its lower end. The float 2.6 is hollow andis provided with a bottom. 1

Intermediate the support 0 a d t e n edless valve 25, the valve spindle 24 is provided with a collar 21. Interposed between the support 20 and the collar 21 is a thermostat 28, of the bi-metallic type, which supports normally the valve spindle 24 and the float 26 carried thereby in a position such that the needle valve 25 is disengaged from the Valve seat'lfi. 1 a r The thermostat 28 comprises two superimposed bi-metallic strips 29 and30, the legs of which are perforated to form a vertical passage 3| through which the valve spindle 24 may slidefreely vertically. I I

parallel legs, equal in'length and'joined by a bend. One of thelegs of the strip", 29 rests upon the disk 2|. The bi-metallic strip 30 is bent to form two parallel legs, unequal in length, and joined by a bend. The longer leg of the strip 30 rests upon the upper leg of the bent strip 29. r The shorterpleg ofthe strip 30 engages the collar 21, and is shortened to support the weight of the valve spindle 24 and the float. 26 with the valve 25 disengaged from the valve seat l6. With this construction, the weights of the valve spindle 24 and the float 26 are counterbalanced by the short leg of the strip 30, thus rendering the spindle24 quickly responsive to the influences presently 'to bladescribed for elevating the valve spindle 24 to engage the needle valve 25 with the valve seat Hi.

In order to guide the legs of the'strip 29 and the long leg of the strip 3,0,:the disk 2| supports a cage 32 comprising a rod bentU-shaped, the parallel legs 33 of which'embrace looselythe said legs of the strips 29 and 30. The lower ends -of the legs 33 are secured, respectively, to the internal edges of substantially semi-cylindrical openings 34 and 35 formedthrough the disk 2 I.

The valve spindle .24, the float 26, the collar 21, the thermostat 28, thesupport 20, and the cage 32 are assembled as a unit which is inserted within the dome 6 prior to theias'sembly of the base therewith. This may be conveniently done by forcing the depending peripheral skirt 22 a predefactory, and

termined distance within the dome 6, the flt being sufficiently tight to insure the support 20 remainout of the dome 6 until the proper position of the plug I5 is found. Then the plug is soldered securely in position. This adjustment is done in the no adjustment is necessary thereafter.

With this construction theneedle valve 25 is disengaged normally from the valve seat l6 thus providing for the free venting of air out through the port I8. Upon the collecting of water in the base 1 the float 26 rises, elevates the valve spindle 24, and engages the needle valve 25 with the valve seat l6, thus preventing the flow of water out through the port I8. As the float 26-is balanced .delicately by the short leg of the thermostatic strip 30 and is positioned withits bottom within the base I, the float26 operates to cl0se the valve under the influence of a; small quantity of water. An important function is obtained by suspending the float in a position in which the needle valve 25 is disengaged from the valveseat Hi. If the float I25 were supported from below particles of rust and scale might collectbetween the bottom of r M the float and its support, resulting in only a par- The bi-metallic strip 29 is bent toform two tial opening of the valve and a restriction in the 7 valve seat l6. During the operation of the ther-v mostat 28 the legs of the strips 29 and 30 bow outwardly, producing a compound movement which is transmitted to the valve spindle 24 with the re sult thatthe valve is closed instantly. Experience 'has demonstrated that the thermostat 28 is ex- In'order to obviate the use of the objectionable siphon tube projecting out of the threaded end of the nipple, the nipple I3 is provided with an in-- terior, horizontally arranged partition 36 (Fig. 4)

which divides'the nipple into two superimposed All the parts are constructed of non-corrosive" metal, the exterior being nickel plated to impart an attractive appearance.

What isjclaimed as new, is:

1. In a radiator valve for steam heating Sys tems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, and a nipple for connecting the base with a radiator, of a unit 'insertable into the dome prior to the assembly of the base therewith, said unit comprising a valve spindle, a float, a thermostat, and means engageable with the dome for frictionally maintaining the'unit'within the dome independently of the base.

2. In a radiator valve for steam heating systems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, of a unit insertable into the dome prior to the assembly of the base therewith, said unit comprising a valve spindle, a float depending from one end of the spindle, a thermostat, operatively connected to the spindle, and a I support for the thermostat, said support being frictionally engageable with the walls of the dome to maintain the unit within the dome and being interposed below the thermostat and above the float.

3. 1m .a radiator valve for steam heating'systerns, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, of a unit insertable into the dome prior to the assembly of the base therewith, said unit comprising a valve spindle having a' collar thereon, a float depending from one end of thespindle, a thermostat operatively connected to the collar, and a support for the thermostat inter: posed between the float and the collar.

4. In a radiator valve for steam heating systerms, the combination with a casing comprising 7 a dome and a base, said dome having a valve seat at its upper end and a support intermediate its.

with its needle valve disengaged from the valve seat. a

5. Ina radiator valve for steam heatingsystems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, said dome having a valve seat at its upper end and a support intermediate its ends, and a spindle, freely movable vertically in the support, having a needle valve on one end and a float on the other, of a thermostat, supported by the support and operatively connected to the spindle, acting under normal conditions of temperature to support the spindle with its needle valve disengaged from the valve seat and acting under the influence of steam entering the casing to elevate the spindle to engage its valve with the valve seat.

6. In a radiator valve for steam heating systems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, said dome having a support intermediate its ends, and a valve spindle, freely movable vertically in the support, having a float on its lower end, of a thermostat, in which the spindle is freely movable vertically, supported on the support and operatively connected to the spindle.

7. A radiator valve for steam heating systems having, in combination, a casing comprising a dome and a base, said dome having a support mounted therein, a valve spindle, freely movable vertically in the support, having a float on its lower end, a bi-metallic strip bent to form two legs equal in length, one of said legs resting on the support, and a bi-metallic strip bent to form two legs unequal in length, the longer one of said legs resting on the first named strip and the shorter one of said legs being operatively connected to the spindle.

8. A radiator valve for steam heating systems having, in combination, a casing comprising a dome and a base, said dome having a support mounted therein, a, valve spindle, freely movable vertically in the support, having a float on its lower end, a bi-metallic strip bent to form two legs equal in length, one of said legs resting on the support, and a bi-metallic strip bent to form two legs unequal in length, the longer one of said legs resting on the first named strip .and the shorter one of said legs being operatively connected to the spindle, and a cage, carried by the support, embracing the legs of the first named strip and the long leg of the second named strip.

9. In a radiator valve for steam heating systems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, of a unit insertable intothe dome prior to the assembly of the base therewith, said unit comprising a valve spindle, a float depending from one end of the spindle, a thermostat operatively connected to the spindle, and a support for the thermostat, said support being adapted to engage the interior of the dome above the float and to remain in said position frictionally.

10. In a radiator valve for steam heating systems, the combination with a casing comprising a dome and a base, of a unit insertable into the dome prior to the assembly of the base therewith, said unit comprising a valve spindle, a float, a thermostat, and a support interposed below the thermostat and above the float, said valve spindle being freely movable vertically in said thermostat and said support.

11. In a radiator valve for steam heating systerms, the combination with a dome provided with an open bottom, and a base for the dome, said dome and said base comprising a casing when they are assembled together, of a unit insertable into the dome through its open bottom prior to said dome and base assembly, said unit comprising a valve spindle, a float, a thermostat, and means for maintaining these three elements within the dome independently of the base.

FRANCIS L. MCDONOUGH. HAROLD RUSSELL. 

